Dissolution of uranium oxides from simulated environmental swipes using ammonium bifluoride

Abstract

An analytical chemistry method has been developed to quantitatively recover microgram quanties of solid uranium oxides from swipe media using ammonium bifluoride (ABF, NH4HF2) solution. Recovery of uranium from surrogate swipe media (filter paper) was demonstrated at initial uranium loading levels between 3 and 20 µg filter−1. The optimal conditions for extracting U3O8 and UO2 are using 1 % ABF solution and incubating at 80 °C for one hour. The average uranium recoveries are 100 % for U3O8, and 90 % for UO2. With this method, uranium concentration as low as 3 µg filter−1 can be recovered for analysis.